Soldiers and Children
by kay125
Summary: The Black Order does not trust Allen Walker. He is the Destroyer of Time, but he is host to the Fourteenth. So when they send him to Hogwarts as liaison and soldier, he doesn't go alone. And he isn't free. Set after D.Gray-Man Chapter 169 and during Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.
1. Chapter 1

**AN:** I do not own D. Gray-Man or Harry Potter. D. Gray-Man belongs to the brilliant Katsura Hoshino, and Harry Potter belongs to the equally brilliant J.K. Rowling.

**Soldiers and Children – Chapter 1**

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry could hardly be called a "normal" school. Students attending the old magic school learned how to make furniture float, mix up sleeping potions, and fly on brooms. Typical Hogwarts affairs.

Headmaster Dumbledore smiled into his long white beard. His students would enjoy something extra, particularly his special charge. For the past four years, Harry Potter had battled giant snakes, soul-sucking dementors, devious plots, and evil teachers. He could use an advantage. And Dumbledore had arranged for one.

Of course, the person coming to Hogwarts was bringing his own share of trouble, but Dumbledore felt sure that his staff, not to mention himself, would be quite capable of handling it. After all, that was why the Black Order had agreed to send help.

Sighing in content, the old man unwrapped a lemon drop and leaned back in his large, soft armchair. The new school term would begin in less than a month, but Allen Walker would arrive in less than a week. He'd best prepare.

**XXX**

Shifting uncomfortably against the stiff train seat, the young, gray-eyed teenager quelled the urge to tear off the thick blindfold tied tightly around his head. Not that he could anyway. Crackling white seals wrapped around his entire body, concentrated mainly on his arms, which were bound before him, weighed down by the heavy magics in the seals. The teenager sighed as his stomach emitted a loud grumble.

"Link…"

"Just deal with it, Walker. The castle is less than an hour away."

Allen sighed again. Although his vision was completely obstructed, he could easily picture the strict look his companion was giving him.

"Remind me again why I'm completely immobilized, on a train, and headed towards an unknown location only specified as 'the castle'? And why, for God's sake, _you_ are my only company? I thought we already moved past the whole suspicion thing."

"Don't use the Lord's name in vain. You have already proven yourself fairly trustworthy. I am only here to regulate the seals, which, as I've already told you, are suppressing your powers – _all_ your powers – for your own sake."

Allen raised a dubious eyebrow. "You mean for the _Vatican's_ sake?"

"Both. We can't afford to let the Earl take one of our most powerful exorcists and the Ark's player. And _you_ wouldn't want the Fourteenth contacting the Earl again, would you?"

"There would have to be akuma around for that to happen. Besides, that still doesn't explain everything else. Why haven't I been briefed on the current mission? And why don't I have any backup? Lenalee or Lavi, or even Kanda?"

"I would have thought you could handle a mission by yourself. And aren't you forgetting what happened at HQ last month? The Order is still recovering from the damage. You're pretty much the only one who has fully recovered from your injuries and… other issues," Link ended awkwardly. "I am the only person available to escort you to your destination."

"I thought Kanda – never mind." Allen abruptly stopped, slumping against the back of his seat. The compartment fell into a silence only broken half an hour later, when the train's arrival was announced over the loudspeaker.

"Time to go," Link grunted as he stood, "I'll take off your blindfold and unseal your legs so you can walk, but your arms stay sealed."

"That's fine. Just hurry up and let me stretch. I'm dying to get off this train." Allen leaned forward and felt the thick cloth around his head loosen before being pulled off completely. He squinted through the bright light streaming in through the compartment windows as Link worked on the seals. "Where are we, anyway?"

Link hesitated before answering. "All I can tell you is that we're not far from old HQ."

"Why didn't we just use the Ark like we always do? Don't tell me Rouvelier still thinks I'm going to run away."

"As a matter of fact…"

"Never mind. I think already know the answer to that one. But, honestly, when am I going to learn what I'm doing here, wherever here is?"

Link finished removing the seals before he slowly replied, "You'll be briefed when we get to the castle. You know we can't afford to give you too much information. If you ever become – I mean, if you ever –"

Allen snorted, amused by the man's uncharacteristic stumble. "Yeah, I know. If I ever turn into the Fourteenth, you can't afford to have me know too much." He suddenly looked up, his eyes fierce. "But, you know, I'll never let him take control, and I'll never turn against my comrades. The Order is my life and my family. I'm not going to let anyone hurt my friends, especially not myself."

"We'll see," was all Link said. He slid open the compartment door and gestured to Allen. "Come on, let's go. If you're 'dying to get off this train,' you don't want to be stuck on it when it leaves the station."

With mock horror on his face, Allen hurried to step out and disembark the train. And stopped in confusion.

"Link, you said that we're near old HQ, right? Then why doesn't this look anything like London?" Spread before him was a picturesque landscape of rolling hills and breezy meadows. Far in the distance, Allen could see a mountain range, and before that, a dark forest stretched out. But the most remarkable detail was the grand castle dominating the hill by a beautiful lake. It captured Allen's attention, and he immediately knew that it was 'the castle.'

"Don't worry Walker. We're in London. This is just a more… discreet region. Now stop gaping at the scenery and get moving. We _do_ have an appointment to keep, after all." Link pointed to a small footpath leading down from the train station and began walking. "Don't trip. You're guaranteed to fall flat on your face with your arms sealed."

"I resent that," Allen grumbled, "I have better balance than you, even with my arms tied."

Link raised an eyebrow and gestured again at the path. "We don't have all day, Walker. Get a move on. Use that better balance of yours to get us to the castle on time."

"I don't _know_ what time we have to get there by. I don't even know what time it is!" Allen protested as he nevertheless carefully made his way to the footpath.

"You'll know when we get to the castle."

"How did I know you were going to say that?"

**XXX**

Crackling fires lit the interior of a methodically cluttered office. Silver instruments whistled and clicked, occasionally emitting clouds of multicolor smoke, which triggered a bout of coughing from the whispering people painted in portraits carefully hung at regular intervals around the office. A sudden flare of light brightened a dark corner of the room as a wrinkled little bird burst into flames, scattering ashes into the tray below it. The old man seated at the large mahogany desk gazed at the remains of the bird for only a moment before focusing his attention once again on the misty image swirling in the air above his desk.

It was almost like a pantomime, the stiff set of the blond-haired man's shoulders as the younger teenager gave a lighthearted laugh, skipping down the dirt path, somewhat awkwardly due to the strange binds on his arms. The sound of the laugh didn't reach his office, but Dumbledore chuckled at the teenager's energy. He wondered if this was the help the Black Order had promised. Was the blond-haired man the one named Allen Walker, one of those "exorcists" who served as the Order's soldiers? But then what purpose would the youth by his side serve? An apprentice? Questions tumbled about the headmaster's mind, but answers would have to wait for the two's arrival.

In the image, the teenager turned back to smile at the blond-haired man, who gave an exaggerated sigh before jogging to catch up with his companion. And then something strange happened. The blond-haired man suddenly stiffened and seemed to look past the image and into Dumbledore's eyes. He whispered something to the teenager, who frowned and shook his head. Dumbledore leaned forward in interest, mumbling something quietly. The image froze, then clarified once again.

"-know you could sense magic," the teenager was saying.

"It's something I learned in Crow. Do you think it could be the Earl?" That was the blond-haired man.

"No, if it were the Earl, we would be seeing its effects by now. And he's more discreet than to let anyone, even someone from Crow, know that he's here. Either that, or he'd be bouncing around in front of us right now."

"I suppose that's true… The Earl isn't supposed to know about this place anyway. Let's just hope that this magic is something cooked up by our allies. Maybe it's someone at the castle."

"Again, with 'the castle.' Wait – what do you mean by the Earl isn't supposed to know about this place?"

Here the blond-haired man sighed and said, "You'll see." From there the conversation died off, and the two walked in silence. Dumbledore frowned in concentration, and the hovering image dissipated into the air. He frowned again, this time in puzzlement. What had the blond-haired main meant by "the Earl" and "Crow"? Could those be code words? And why didn't the teenager know what was going on? Well, at least it was clear by now that they had been sent from the Black Order.

Dumbledore surveyed his office, his gaze coming to rest on the tray of ashes that the bird had become. "Fawkes, wake up. We are to have guests in a short while." A form in the ashes stirred, and a bright flame suddenly erupted from amongst the debris. It expanded, revealing itself to be a magnificent bird with flames licking its wings and body. "Good. Why don't you lead our guests to my office? They ought to have reached the castle by now." Fawkes bent his head in consent and disappeared in a brief flash of light.

**XXX**

"Um… Hello…?" Allen stood before the castle doors, politely rapping on the aged oak. He threw a confused look over his shoulder to Link, who had crossed his arms and was tapping his foot impatiently. "Isn't someone waiting for us?"

Link frowned. "There should be someone… Maybe he's coming down now." A sudden burst of flame surprised both of them, and they tensed in one synchronized movement, preparing to defend themselves. The flaming bird that had appeared before them clicked its beak and cocked its head to the side, considering the pair, before drifting down to perch on Allen's shoulder.

"It's a… phoenix…" Allen murmured quietly, carefully keeping his head still, "A bird covered in flames. A phoenix. Right Link?" His companion slowly nodded his head.

"I suppose this must be our guide." He looked at the bird. "Are you?" The phoenix clicked its beak again, brushed Allen's head affectionately with a wing, and bobbed its head towards the door.

"Open it?" Allen asked. The phoenix clicked its beak. "Okay, sure." He grasped the ornate brass handles and carefully opened the castle doors. Now the phoenix pushed off from its perch on his shoulder and hovered in the air for a moment, before gliding down the lighted corridor that had appeared before them. Allen exchanged a look with Link, then rushed to catch up with the receding figure of the phoenix.

Link followed at a more deliberate pace, gazing curiously at the gas lamps lining the corridor, the clean wooden floor, and, most importantly, the moving pictures framed along the walls. He raised an eyebrow at the strange sight, but dismissed it as a matter for further discussion at a later time.

After a few moving staircases, many ghost encounters, and a password-holding gargoyle, the party of three stood before the door leading to the office of the person who was apparently in charge of the castle. The phoenix gave a gentle trill, and the door slowly creaked open.

"Welcome to Hogwarts."


	2. Chapter 2

**AN:** So, I started working on this chapter in the middle of finals, and at first I didn't know what that meant. But then I realized that what it meant: this chapter was definitely going to get done. There was too much procrastination in the air for it not to. Cheers!

**Soldiers and Children – Chapter 2**

The first thing Allen noticed about the room was the chaos. Delicate silver instruments puffed out thin streams of smoke, and spindly tables were scattered with old parchment maps and letters. Here and there he could spot the toe of a woolen sock, or the narrow end of an ancient seafarer's telescope. For the first time, he noticed flickers of movement where there should be none, within the framed portraits that hung at various intervals along the side wall. But then a gentle cough interrupted him, and he found his attention drawn to the strange old man to whom the office belonged.

"Good afternoon, gentlemen. Fascinating as the old headmasters and headmistresses may be – and they most definitely are – I do hope you are here to see me, not them." Twinkling blue eyes peered at Allen over half-moon spectacles. He ducked his head in embarrassment and was relieved to see one eye winked in amusement. The old man turned to Link and offered his hand. "Albus Dumbledore, headmaster of Hogwarts. You would be the envoys from the Black Order, am I right? It is wonderful to finally speak face to face with you."

"Likewise." Link returned the headmaster's handshake with a firm grip. "My name is Howard Link, inspector with the Black Order's Central Office and former member of Crow special unit."

"Oh?" Dumbledore raised an inquiring eyebrow. "I was under the impression that your name was Allen Walker and you were an exorcist. Did the plans change?"

Allen shot an amused glance at Link, then stepped forward. "That would be me, sir." He extended both gloved hands, still sealed together. "Allen Walker, exorcist and soldier of the Black Order. Pleased to meet you."

To his credit, the headmaster managed to take the news in stride. But astonishment was evident in his voice when he replied, "The pleasure is all mine, Mr. Walker. No need to call me sir – Headmaster or Albus will do just fine. I am sorry if I seem to be in a bit of a shock. It's just that you seem rather young to be a soldier, despite your remarkable white hair. Might I ask what age you are now?"

"Around sixteen."

At this point, Link broke in. "Headmaster, I understand that Walker is very young. The same age as some of your older students, in fact. But he is also very talented. He is currently one of our most powerful exorcists and has fought in countless battles. You need not feel misgivings about his capabilities or experience. He is quite fit as both a soldier and a representative of the Order."

Taking a moment to collect himself, Dumbledore quietly spoke, "It is not his ability to fight that I am concerned about. It is his peace of mind. Children should never have to be soldiers."

"And yet, here I am." This came from Allen. "I have seen things that would break adults, not to mention children. Perhaps I am already broken. I have suffered more than you could ever know, lost more than you could ever understand." He could feel the sorrow in his eyes grow ageless, bottomless. "Children are not meant to be soldiers. War is a harsh education, battle a thankless profession. All I know is that I must keep walking. Trial, pain, doubt. What is that to me when compared with the grief of those who have lost even more than I? And so, here I am."

Silence reigned over the office for long moments. Allen stood proudly before Dumbledore, mouth set firm in stubborn defiance of the suffering he had just confessed. The headmaster held his gaze for a few seconds longer, then gave a deep sigh. He removed his spectacles and, scrubbing his face resignedly, settled down in an armchair by the fire. A double clap later, a pair of new armchairs appeared, startling the two guests.

"Do sit. You must be weary from your travels." Dumbledore gestured to the armchairs. Quickly recovering from his initial alarm, Allen sank into the closer armchair with a happy sigh. Link regarded his with suspicion for a moment more before sitting down as well.

"I can see that my arguments will do nothing to dissuade you from your path. Perhaps it is necessity that drives you, but I do hope that you will remember to hold close to you any remnants of innocence and to cherish the friends that you have." At the mention of innocence, Allen shifted in his seat and glanced down at his bound arms with a wry look. Catching sight of this, Dumbledore now asked, "Pardon me for asking, but why the bindings?"

Allen turned to Link, clearly turning over the question to him. The older man reached into his pocket and drew out a sealed letter. Handing this to Dumbledore, he said, "More details are enclosed in this letter. However, I will describe the situation in brief to you. The Black Order fights against an enemy of humanity named the Millennium Earl. He feeds off of grief and sorrow, creating machines called akuma from the souls of loved ones called back from the dead. Only last month our headquarters sustained heavy damage from an attack. At the same time, we discovered a problem. Walker, one of our most valuable exorcists, has been infected by the spirit of a Noah, one of the Earl's followers." Here he paused, giving an apologetic glance to Allen. "We are here to quarantine him from the rest of the Order."

Allen shot up from his seat, a shocked exclamation on his lips. "You told me we were on a mission! Instead this turns out to be some kind of isolation program! What's going on Link?"

The inspector ignored the outburst, carrying on over Allen's angry shout. "The infection should not dangerous to your students, but it is gradually wearing away at Walker's health. The reason for the bonds is that this infection seems to be aggravated by the activation of Walker's weapon, his innocence."

Dumbledore gave him a questioning look. "His… innocence?"

Link nodded. "Perhaps it would be best to let Walker explain for himself."

The teen shot one last dark look at his companion. "This isn't over Link. You will tell me what's going on later." Turning to Dumbledore, he continued. "Innocence is the name the Order has given to the weapons that we exorcists use. In its raw form, innocence takes the form of a crystal. When the Order finds these crystals, we take them and shape them into weapons. As a weapon, innocence can appear in many shapes, from a katana to a bell. In my case, my innocence is literally a part of me. It's my arm."

Link cut in, "While Walker is here in Hogwarts, his arm will remain sealed, to avoid undue exacerbation of his infection. That is why I am here. I will oversee the seals and remove them in case of emergency."

The headmaster wrinkled his brow in concern. "Rest assured, we will do all we can here at Hogwarts to provide assistance. And will this infection interfere with your role as ambassador to Hogwarts and judge for the Triwizard Tournament? If so, tell me now and I can arrange for you to stay here as a guest rather than giving you too taxing a job."

Allen shook his head. "I believe it should be possible for Link to limit the seal to my left arm alone. And as long as he keeps the magical pressure light, I can function normally. And I am glad to finally learn what I am doing here. So I am to be a judge for some competition? A magical competition, I would presume."

"Yes, the Triwizard Tournament is a contest between representatives from three schools: Hogwarts, Beauxbatons, and Durmstrang. You will be judging the contestants based on magical prowess, quick thinking, etcetera. Obviously, you are well qualified to assess these qualities. In addition to you and me, there will be four additional judges: Headmistress Olympe Maxime, Headmaster Igor Karkaroff, and two members of the ministry, Ludovic Bagman and Bartemius Crouch." Dumbledore paused, regarding at Allen kindly. "I am sure this is a lot to take in, Mr. Walker. But rest assured, you will have plenty of time to observe both the competitors and this school itself."

"Don't worry about me." Allen smiled. "I'm a quick study in all things but finding directions."

"Oh ho, my boy, then you may wish to stick close with Mr. Link, for the layout of this castle is ever changing. It can be quite confusing for students and professors alike. But this brings me to my second request." The headmaster's gaze grew serious. "There is a boy, Harry Potter. He, like you, has been subject to many unfortunate events in past years. All I ask is this. Watch over him. Let him know that he is not alone in his pain."

Allen nodded seriously. "It would be my honor to meet Mr. Potter. I will be there for him should he ever be in need."

Dumbledore beamed, the corners of his eyes crinkling into little smiles. "Wonderful! Now, I think it is about time I let you go. Fawkes will show you to your chambers, where you will reside for the year." The phoenix gave a light trill from the corner of the room. As Allen and Link stood to leave, Dumbledore spoke. "And, one more thing. The Quidditch World Cup is fast approaching, in just about a week. My good friend Amos Diggory provided me with two tickets, but as the new term advances, I find myself flooded with letters and requests. Would you be interested in attending in my stead? I believe you would quite enjoy yourselves. Quidditch is certainly an exciting pastime for wizards of all ages."

He shuffled through the papers on his desk, finally unearthing two wrinkled tickets, which he handed to Allen. "If you do decide to go, just let me know and I will arrange a little meet-up with Amos. He'll take care of you. Now, off you go! Feel free to explore the castle at your leisure and enjoy your time here to the fullest!"

**XXX**

The sentinel gargoyle swiveled back into place, concealing the headmaster's office. For a moment, the two companions stood in silence before the hidden entrance, Link's face carefully devoid of emotion, Allen's pressed against the cool stone of the corridor wall. A quiet murmur broke the hush. "When were you going to tell me?"

Link sighed, leaning back against the opposite wall and staring down the empty halls. "You were supposed to be briefed earlier, in private. Like I told you, we arrived late. I thought you might be competent enough to know when to play along. Perhaps I was wrong."

Allen lifted his head and for the first time Link saw the angry sense of betrayal that the exorcist had been trying to contain. "I thought you trusted me." The quiet statement came out a taut accusation. Allen's eyes did not move from the blank wall before him. He stood there, body rigid and fists clenched within their bonds.

"I do. But you're not the only one in your head." Link tapped the side of his own head meaningfully. "Here, within the castle's barriers, we are safe. It's a modification of the Earl's own magical technology. The Fourteenth will not be able to reach outside of the barriers and the Earl will not be able to reach within."

"And that reminds me." Link reached out and traced a quick pattern over Allen's sternum. As he did so, a secondary, arcane design shimmered into existence. It wrapped around the teen's neck, finally coalescing into a thin cord, a silver teardrop pendant swinging gently from the end. "There. Now that you have entered the nexus surrounding Hogwarts, I can transfer a portion of it into a compact barrier. Just make sure you keep that charm on you at all times when you are outside of Hogwarts. And don't go more than twenty miles from the castle."

"That's another thing – what was that bit, about an 'infection'?" Allen spat out, slapping Link's hand away, "I'm not infected, I'm possessed! I still see Him everywhere I go, in mirrors and reflective bits of glass. He's not hurting my health, He's eating my soul!"

Link moved swiftly, shoving a rough hand over Allen's mouth and hissing in his ear, "Quiet, Walker! This is more than a simple diplomatic gesture. You are more than a simple judge. We are seeking to form a military alliance with the wizards. That is what was in the letter to the Headmaster. And it would help if you wouldn't go shooting your mouth off about every little thing that's wrong with you. The wizards offered their help to you. It's useless. We know that. The Fourteenth's resurrection is inevitable. What they can offer is their military power. That's what we want. And you will not get in the way of that."

Allen squirmed free of Link's hold, whispering hotly back, "Then why am I here? Why not send Kanda? I know he can't still be recovering. His wounds would have healed by the fourth or fifth day."

"Kanda is busy. And what I told the Headmaster was mostly truth. The… companion you hold within your head is too dangerous an element to be set free. Leaders among the Vatican have decided that you require constant surveillance, quarantine. Be glad you are not facing the Inquisition. Instead, during our time here at Hogwarts, I have been assigned as your direct commanding officer. And I am commanding you to keep your condition a secret. We have enough to worry about with the tangle of diplomatic relations already existing within the wizarding community. Just keep your mouth shut and handle your job: judging."

Link pulled a new envelope from his pocket and pressed it into Allen's hands. "The full details and conditions of your assignment are listed within. Read it, memorize it, then burn it. There are things that the wizards do not need to know."

Allen tilted his head, considering his companion for a moment before slipping the letter into his own pocket. "And I suppose there are things that I do not need to know?"

Link smiled tightly. "Walker, you have the memories of a Noah sleeping within your soul. You could become an enemy of the Order any day. What do you think?"

"I think that not everything you're saying makes sense. I think that you're still hiding things from me." Allen frowned thoughtfully. "I think that I will find out eventually. And I think that I will not be happy with what I find."

Fawkes the phoenix tilted his head and gave a soft trill, then set off down the corridor.

**XXX**

In his office, Dumbledore listened to the soothing crackling of his fire and the distant call of his trusted companion. "Ah yes, Fawkes," he murmured quietly, "I knew from the beginning that there was more to the story. But it is not my place to pry into wounds of the past. They are welcome guests and, until they prove otherwise, I shall embrace them as such."

He slit Link's sealed envelope open, unfolded the letter contained within, and began reading.


End file.
